Deputy Governor of SBV Đào Minh Tú speaks at the conference held in Hà Nội on Thursday. — Photo nld.com.vn

The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) has given a non-interest loan of VND16 trillion to employers to pay salaries for workers, who have stopped working due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The information was released by Deputy Governor of SBV Dao Minh Ti at a meeting held by SBV and Ha Noi People’s Committee in the capital city on Thursday.

“The loan has been transferred via the Bank of Social Policies. The loan does not need collateral, but confirmation from the People's Committee,” Tu said.

Tú said the economic recovery would not only take months but possibly several years, especially in the field of transportation, tourism, import and export. “Many industries are not only affected directly but also indirectly.”

The SBV has also announced hotlines of its branches in 63 cities and provinces nationwide, which have been published on its website http://sbv.gov.vn. The hotlines are expected to be a channel for businesses to reflect their problems relevant to debt restructuring, extension and interest rate cuts due to the COVID-19 outbreak. — VNS

While people around the planet continue to grapple with the pandemic, there’s also a call to pause and reflect on another cause – Time for Nature, the theme of the UN’s World Environment Day on 5 June.